Finding Nemo 33: World’s deepest swimming pool

Finding Nemo 33: World’s deepest swimming pool

From The Examiner, June 29, 12:22
A typical December morning in Brussels, with its freezing rain and gloomy skies, is an appropriate excuse to bundle up and hibernate, not strip down to a bathing suit and go for a swim. Take a short drive outside the city center, though, and discover Nemo 33, the world’s deepest pool. At over 33 meters deep, this giant, solar-heated aquarium is filled not with fish but scuba divers! Designed by diving expert John Beernaerts, the facility opened in 2004.

The fresh, ultra-filtered spring water here is maintained at a heavenly temperature of 30-33° C, eliminating the need for a wetsuit and the unwieldy feeling of wearing one. Divers are provided with Aqualung brand equipment (though you may bring your own mask and regulator if desired). The transition to the water is seemless and relaxed without waves, visibility perfect. There may be no wildlife to see, but for divers, such natural immersion is as close to being a fish as one can get.

Experienced scuba divers must present their certification cards upon entry and are then free to dive to the depth allowed by their training level. The price per day to dive starts at €22, with small fees for renting a dive computer or if you have forgotten your card.

If you are new to diving and wish to learn in a safe, comfortable environment, Nemo 33 presents the ideal opportunity. Beginning, advanced, and instructor-level courses are taught in multiple languages and students earn certification through the internationally-recognized PADI diving organization. Emergency first response courses are also available.

Once in the water, divers can explore the multiple levels and cavernous rooms built into the pool. Floating calmly in their artificial sea, they drift like astronauts through space. Without the distraction of sharks or shipwrecks, diving in this pool is reflective, meditative, simply the peace of being submerged.

The facility has been creatively converted to appeal not only to divers but to clientele who wish to stay dry as well. The foyer features a trendy bar and restaurant outfitted in scuba décor, which is often packed midday, so a reservation is recommended.

Projected on one wall are continuously-running films of marine life – polar bears, penguins, exotic deep-sea creatures. Look through the many windows cut into the wall behind the bar to catch glimpses of the scuba divers as they swim by. They blow bubbles and kick their fins mere inches from diners enjoying lunch.

Beyond just leisure, Nemo 33’s unique pool environment has been employed for underwater filming, medical research, prototype testing, fitness classes, and naval exercises. Their facilities may be reserved for corporate events, training programs, or unique celebrations, and even if you don’t dive, the Nemo 33 restaurant is a fun place to come for a one-of-a-kind meal experience. Good conversation for a first date.

Especially in the wintertime, or if you are in Brussels for business, Nemo 33 offers both mental and physical tranquility. This is a true indulgence, better than all the Belgian chocolate in the world.

Info on Nemo 33

333 Rue de Stalle, B-1180
Uccle (Brussels), Belgium

Restaurant: +32 2 333 38 30
Dive Center: +32 2 332 33 34

Open 7 days per week

www.nemo33.com

Artificial Coral Growth Speeds Up in the Maldives – El Nino recovery process

Artificial Coral Growth Speeds Up in the Maldives – El Nino recovery process
Published in www.minivannews.com, June 16, 2009
In 1998, El Nino brought excessive and prolonged heat to the Maldives, bleaching and killing 90 per cent of the nation’s corals, and in some atolls, damaging up to 98 per cent of reefs.
The stress of that year’s oscillation left the normally tropical-coloured marine organisms in a pallid white state, and some scientists are trying to speed up the recovery process through cutting-edge techniques of coral propagation, also known as artificial reef growth.
“It’s important to grow them and that is proved, I think,” says Thomas Le Berre, managing director at Seamarc Pvt, Ltd. “It definitely grows. A few years back the international community said it’s not possible and people are still under the impression that it’s hard to grow some corals.”
In conjunction with Four Seasons Resort hotels, Le Berre and a team of engineers have successfully developed a method of growing reefs by attaching small pieces of broken coral onto iron grids and dropping them into the water on trays.
The scientists are looking for methods of growing heat-resistant coral that would be less vulnerable to climate change.
Not only is Seamarc’s project one of the first success stories in the field, its propagation techniques are unique because the grids are portable.
“This means that if we’ve got bleaching, we can take them further down, let them recover, and bring them back up later,” says Le Berre. “If you can’t move your corals will lose them. All your effort will be lost.”
Despite the team’s success, coral propagation is still a controversial area because expenses are high, results are uncertain, and outcomes are at a small scale.
“We have to be quite clear: building artificial reefs in resorts will not solve the problem of corals dying around the world…we need to look at large scale human issues,” says Guy Stevens, senior marine biologist at Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru Baa Atoll.
“Trying to build coral trays to save coral reefs…will not save the Maldives from sinking. What they are fantastic for is to provide an area on a resort which can vastly improve the quality of the reef for a guest… it is also an educational and scientific tool.”

Beginning: early stage of coral growth
“Physical integrity”
The relationship between the Maldives and coral goes back deep in time, as well as deep into the earth’s surface.
Coral has existed in, below, and around the islands ever since volcanoes from the Indian plate subsided around 55 million years ago, leading to atoll formation, according to Thomas.
“The way I see it is that Maldives is a bit unique because our country is totally built on limestone that has been provided by coral reefs,” says Hussein Zahir, senior reef ecologist at the Marine Research Centre. “If you travel down the Maldivian reef platform, down to 2,000 meters is still calcium carbonate. They are very important for physical integrity of Maldives.”
Reefs protect the islands from rising sea levels; the destruction of Male’s reefs due to reclamation resulted in a US$14 million project to build a sea wall around the capital island, says Zahir.
It is unclear how much time is left to adapt to sea level rises; the scientific community ranges from setting off a 50 to 200 year hourglass.
“This is not a short-term process,” says Le Berre. “We have 50 years to react and adapt but we better start as soon as possible.”
Unbelievable artificial reefs
While past attempts at propagation provided dismal results, Le Berre’s design has led to colourful new coral.
Armando Karenzlin, general manager of Four Seasons Kuda Huraa North Male atoll, says, “In 2005 or so we started to used the first grids. Now they look unbelievable. I was so excited. They are totally overgrown. You don’t see the grids anymore. Now it’s proven to me that you can grow a reef.”
He says that the easy process of setting up the grids has led it to be a popular activity among guests.

Amazing: a successful coral reef
“It’s very quick, very efficient, fun. Kids can get involved in it. They can do a tray in a half hour or so. Some guests are sponsoring them. Putting names on them and we send them pictures,” says Karenzlin.
Stevens says the resort is reaching out to Maldivians from local islands, getting them involved in the propagation process in the hope that interaction with reefs will raise awareness on the issue.
Having attained confident results, Le Berre is now looking to make coral propagation economically feasible.
He estimates that it will take approximately US$1 million per year to grow 10,000 square metres of coral.
“We know the tool,” he says, “but we still need to do research to make it as beneficial as possible.”

“Edge of Existence”
Bleaching is not fatal for coral, but an inbuilt mechanism for adapting to stress, says Stevens.
Even calm, still seas lead to a lot of coral bleaching, yet they recover within weeks.
Understanding coral bleaching requires understanding the symbiotic, mutually beneficial, relationship between algae and coral.
Algae, which give coral their pigment, live in coral and transfer food to it, while the coral provides a home for the algae.
A mere three degree increase in temperature, such as the one in 1998, can cause the algae to die, and in order to protect themselves from the dead algae, coral get rid of the algae, as a survival method.
Therefore the bleached coral are not dead. “It’s a safety measure… corals are right on the edge of existence,” says Stevens.
However extremely severe stress will lead to fatality, and Zahir says that there was a 90 per cent mortality after 1998.
Regardless of whether the coral is bleached or killed, natural processes will recover the coral that El Nino damaged, although the process is slow.
Stevens says in the past four years, the reefs around the Maldives have had a huge recovery, contrary to “doom and gloom” predictions that came out when the mass bleaching first took place

Zahir: Everybody should go snorkelling
Zahir also says that he is optimistic because the natural capacity of reefs to recover in the past decade has been good in some places, particularly in the southern atolls.
He says that the cost and small scale of propagation leads him to reject the method, in favour of the allowing the natural process to take place on its own.

He thinks we should “reduce human pressures [on coral] and let the natural process take over. If there is no human intervention they will come back in decades.”
Stevens says that different corals are destroyed and recover at different rates and it could take decades if not centuries for them to get back to the phase they were at before El Nino.
Proactive v Reactive
While Zahir acknowledges the educational and scientific uses of artificial coral growth, he is more interested in focusing on measures that prevent future damage, and allowing Mother Nature to address the re-growth.
“There are concerns such as sewage reclamation…human-induced threats like pollution, coastal reclamation…Those are much more damaging…It destroys the physical structure of the reef,” says Zahir. Stevens also acknowledges the importance of looking at the underlying problem of reef destruction, but he concludes that the destruction in the Maldives was a one time event, not part of a chronic problem. “We have 100 resorts or so with reefs that can recover and are recovering, but if you can speed up the process that would be fantastic,” says Stevens. Scientists do not know how to predict when the next El Nino will come, but Stevens says that you can loosely conclude that one occurs once every three to eight years. Furthermore their severity is also uncertain; some can have virtually no affect, while some can have far-reaching consequences. The last El Ninos have had no impact on the Maldives, says Stevens. It is also unclear how much of a concrete impact coral propagation will have in the Maldives.
Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture Dr Ibrahim Didi says that his ministry is interested in supporting coral propagation.
He says that a week ago, a bill was submitted to the committee on fisheries from the marine biology research centre proposing to begin coral propagation at an uninhabited island. Didi says he thinks there is a high chance that the proposal will be approved by next week and that the ministry is always interested in new projects. He says that the extent of the ministry’s support for coral propagation will depend on demand.
At this point, the ministry does not know if propagation is economically or environmentally feasible. “It is a pilot project,” he says.
Although there is no widely held view on how to protect coral reefs, there is agreement across the board over the importance of public awareness and support in the process.
Zahir says that snorkelling for everyone, not just tourists, is an important way of gaining interest in coral care.
“More people should go snorkelling and go see how nice [the coral] are,” he says. “Even the politicians who talk about it don’t know. They should go as well.”

Stormclouds over the Indian Ocean: Behind the veil in the Maldives

Stormclouds over the Indian Ocean: Behind the veil in the Maldives

Stormclouds over the Indian Ocean: Behind the veil in the Maldives

Posted by The Independent
Monday, 22 June 2009 at 06:34 pm, by Meera Selva
The 2004 tsunami, which displaced 11,500 people and destroyed 53 out of the 199 inhabited islands, dealt a heavy blow but the best hotels were soon up and running again, offering fresh-water showers and silver service to those who were willing to visit.

It is easy to escape reality in this archipelago of 1,200 islands. Private boats and single engine planes wait to whisk jet-lagged tourists away from the main landing strip and on to the resort islands, where they are greeted with freshly squeezed juice and a seafood menu for supper.

But while the holiday makers change into their bikinis in their £1,000-a-night rooms and recline in the sunshine, the face of the real Maldives, rarely seen by outsiders, is slowly changing. Traditionally, Maldivian women have tended to wear brightly coloured, form-fitting dresses, and sometimes small scarves to pull their hair away from their faces. Little girls have been given as much freedom as their brothers to play outside, and women have had equal rights to access to education and divorce.

But this way of life, inspired by a moderate interpretation of Islam, is disappearing. Women in the poorer, outlying villages have been switching to a full headscarf and Arabic-style, loose, flowing, dark robes. They say they prefer to stay indoors. They have begun sending their children to the local mosque to be taught by the growing number of Islamic preachers on the islands. Men have begun growing beards, and asserting their dominance. New, grand mosques have also sprung up, paid for by donors in Kuwait, Libya and Iran.

Islam has been practised in the Maldives since the 12th century, and since President Abdul Maumoon Gayoom came to power in 1978, religion and government have become increasingly intertwined. In 1997, Islam was declared the state religion and the government has declared that the Maldives is 100 per cent Sunni Muslim.

Christian missionaries became bogeymen, accused of trying to undermine the cohesiveness of Maldivian society, and citizens were banned from listening to any radio stations deemed to have a missionary message. Holidaymakers might be able to order any cocktail or wine that they wished, but any Maldivian citizens caught drinking alcohol face 100 lashes. However, while there is whipping under sharia law, there is no stoning or amputation. No registered political party or pressure group has taken responsibility for the recent changes. Instead, individual preachers have been advocating a more radical version of Islam on the poorer islands, which are cut off from the mainstream media. In a country where 93 per cent of the population are illiterate, this word-of-mouth form of conversion can be remarkably effective.

The government has been unsure how to handle the changes taking place within this Islamic society. Under President Gayoom’s leadership, the country that markets itself as a luxury holiday destination has been run as an autocracy. In 1988, the President changed the constitution to give him control over the judiciary and the parliament. Freedom of speech was severely restricted and political parties were banned. This state of affairs continued until 2003, when the death of prisoners in Maafushi prison provoked mass riots.

President Gayoom reluctantly ordered an inquiry and set up a human rights commission, but the restrictions on free speech and political gatherings remained in place. In this climate of dissatisfaction, a number of opposition parties began to gather strength. The Maldivian Democratic Party began to call for multi-party democracy, while an Islamic party, Adalat, asked for a new debate on the role of Islam in the Maldives. A group of Muslim intellectuals set up an internet bulletin, Sandhaanu, to discuss religion.

The government’s response was to brand these varied opposition groups traitors and arrest key members. Jennifer Latheef, a 32-year-old opposition activist, was arrested and charged with terrorism in 2004 after taking part in public demonstrations and speaking out against the government as part of the MDP. “I was handcuffed and beaten on the base of my spine – it left no marks but I still need physiotherapy today, and it was all over made-up charges,” she said. “They accused me of throwing a stone during demonstrations. I didn’t throw a stone, but even if I did, how does that make me a terrorist?”

The conservative Islamic reformist preacher Ibrahim Fareed was arrested in 2002 for speaking about sharia law and Islamic behaviour and charged with treason. His supporters maintain he is really being punished for speaking out about corruption in the government.

While the government has focused its attention on high-profile opponents like Mr Fareed and Miss Latheef, fundamentalist preachers have continued with their mission in the villages, using simple language and dangerously persuasive arguments to convert people to a more radical Islam.

The existence of the luxurious holiday resorts add fuel to their arguments. Tourism provides two-thirds of employment in the Maldives, and many men leave their families to go and stay at the resorts for shifts that can last three months. “These teachers go to the women in the villages and say – your men are working at these hotels, surrounded by loose women and alcohol. If you want to save his soul and your marriage you must be virtuous – cover up, stay inside, and he will come back to you,” said Miss Latheef. “These women then come under tremendous peer pressure to conform.”

The message that the West is a corrupt, decadent place can easily take root in a country where holiday-makers receive personal massages in their private villas, while Maldivians live with three families crammed into one tiny house. The fact that tourists dine on fresh mangoes, papayas and limes – all imported – while the Maldivian people live on a diet of rice and fish, does not help either.

The thin, sandy soil of the Maldives is not suited to agriculture and green vegetables and fresh fruit are such a rarity that one-quarter of all Maldivian children suffer from stunted growth. The government is slowly introducing new irrigation techniques which will help improve produce, but the local people cannot help wishing that some of the energy that goes into importing hand carvings from Bali for hotel shops could be transferred into overhauling their food production systems.

“Islam on the Maldives has always been incredibly laid back,” said Sarah Mahir, a young Maldivian woman who runs a human rights group Friends of the Maldives. “It’s never been hard to combine a modern life with Islam the way it has been practised in the capital, Male. But the holiday-makers who come here don’t care if it is Ramadan or people are fasting. They eat and drink all year round, and it is easy to get some people angry about that. We always feel the tourists who come to these island resorts are somewhere, but not really the Maldives.”

The government is aware that the problems facing ordinary Maldivians may affect its tourism industry, but its response has been cynical rather than hopeful. After the street protests of 2003, President Gayoom hired the British public relations firm Hill & Knowlton to improve the Maldives’ image abroad. At home, however, he has yet to hold multi-party elections or guarantee the independence of the judiciary. The police force has a reputation for brutal violence and has the power to make arbitrary arrests.

The government prefers to divert attention away from its shortcomings by arguing that the real threat to stability in the Maldives comes from Christianity, not a lack of democracy. This view sometimes seems to border on paranoia. This April, for example, the minister of fisheries ordered the residents of Kulhudhuffushi island to tear down their new $75,000 indoor market built by Maldives Aid, a UK-based charity, because it was funded by “Christian missionaries”. Schoolteachers from nearby Sri Lanka and India are regularly expelled from the island for trying to convert Maldivian citizens to Christianity.

“The tradition has always been that you are Muslim in the private field,” said one Maldivian political analyst. “The government respects Islam but is not Islamic. However, if the government does not act soon, it will find itself overtaken by a more extreme power, instead of the pro-democracy forces it so fears.”

Tourism is a vital industry for the Maldives. Half a million visitors each year provide 70 per cent of the country’s foreign currency, and the resorts try to be as environmentally and culturally sensitive as they can. The challenge now is to keep the tourist dollars coming in while taking care of the spiritual and material needs of Maldivians.

Maldives Makes Top 5 Honeymoon Hot Spots

Glam Slam: The Friday Five – Honeymoon Hot Spots

www.nbclosangeles.com, Fri, Jun 19, 2009

We wrap up Glam Slam Wedding Week with five of Hollywood’s favorite Honeymoon Destinations. Travel Expert Stefanie Michaels, AKA “Adventure Girl,” offers two options for each location… the budget blowing Hollywood hang and a cheaper, but still chic option!

MALDIVES
Fergie and Josh Duhamel just honeymooned at the One & Only Reethi Rah Hotel, a swank resort offering island style and sophistication in the North Malé Atoll, Maldives. This tiny, exclusive isle offers breathtaking white sand coves kissed by aqua bays. Each of the resort’s villas has direct access to the lagoon, large terraces, endless stretches of private “just for you” beaches, and signature spa. Reethi Rah is also offers some of the best diving in the Maldives. $923-$1,700 US per night. www.oneandonlyresorts.com

The tiny isle of Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu (pictured) in the Maldives is a more affordable alternative! This ultra-luxe private isle retreat overlooks an aquamarine (it really is aqua!) lagoon – perfect for a diving school and water sports. The resort also boasts a spa and ivory white beaches, complete with candlelight beach dining. Don’t miss sunset at the lagoon bar built on stilts over the water! Exclusive butler service will answer your every romantic wish! The resort is offering a special bride rate of 25% off with wedding certificate. $362 per night (pricing varies per season) http://www.slh.com/maldives/dhunikolhu_island/duncoc.html

ELEUTHERA ISLAND, BAHAMAS
Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon tied the knot and then honeymooned at this low key “off the map” island in the Bahamas where Mariah owns a private estate. Considered one of Bahamas’ “out islands,” it’s actually a place for the “in” crowd looking for seclusion and romance. http://www.bahamas.com/out-islands/eleuthera-harbour-island

Don’t have an exclusive Mariah Carey-esque compound? No worries. A “cheap chic” Bahamian option is The Cove in Eleuthera, offering an intimate honeymoon destination set upon the Caribbean’s most beautiful pink sand beach. Secluded, seductive and stylish, the 26 rooms and suites boast urban chic decor mixed with island charm and come complete with iPod, 600-count linens, gourmet restaurant, and hilltop views of Eleuthera. Rates start at $188 per night. http://www.thecoveeleuthera.com

MONTECITO, CALIFORNIA
Julia Roberts honeymooned at San Ysidro Ranch and so did Sandra Bullock and Jesse James. “The ranch” in Southern California’s hills of Montecito wine country features private cottages and suites and has long been the hideout for Hollywood’s elite. Vivien Leigh and Sir Laurence Olivier exchanged vows there and it was John and Jackie Kennedy honeymooned. Each classic bungalow style retreat has plush king-size beds with fine linens, fireplaces and patios. Some feature hot tubs on private outdoor patios with outdoor rain showers, flat-screen TVs and hand-selected antique furnishings. Rates from $650 per night, Sunday-Thursday, which includes breakfast for two daily and $100 resort credit per stay. Valid through Sept. 30, 2009. http://www.sanysidroranch.com

Budget conscious alternative? The Montecito Inn. Near pristine Butterfly Beach and just steps away from boutique shopping, local attractions and some of the city’s finest dining, the Montecito Inn was built in 1928 by cinema legend Charlie Chaplin and was originally meant as an escape to paradise for Mr. Chaplin’s closest friends. Weekend rates starting at $179 per night. www.montecitoinn.com

TOFINO,CANADA
Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds chose Clayoquot Wilderness Resort as their ultimate wedding destination. After their guests left, the Hollywood couple hung back to spend some time exploring one of the most beautiful 6-star wilderness retreats in North America. There is so much romance to be found at Clayoquot, from a simple candlelit dinner for two in the games tent, to a tandem massage overlooking Bedwell River, to a horse drawn wagon whisking honeymooners to a secluded beach or river valley meadow. For the wild at heart, this is the place to canoodle. Three night stays starting at $3,695 USD per person all-inclusive. www.wildretreat.com

Tofino’s more affordable option: The Wickaninnish Inn, fondly referred to as “The Wick”, has won accolades from top ten lists around the globe, and voted “Best Hotel Spa by Travel + Leisure readers. Known for its famous storm watching vantage point, the Wick boasts fireplaces in every room, a gourmet restaurant and yes, incredible spa. Check out their “I DO” elopement and honeymoon package. Starting at $320 US per night.http://www.wickinn.com

SOUTHERN ITALY
Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard headed to Italy for their wedding and honeymoon. Their nuptials took place in a small chapel at the luxe Hotel Masseria in the city of Brindisi of Italy’s Puglia region – the southernmost tip of Italy. Italy is known for romance and there is no shortage at the unique Il Convento di Santa Maria di Costantinopoli, a very special bed & breakfast where Maggie and Peter tied the knot. This romantic hideaway offers rooftop gardens, a large library, pool and restaurant. It is said that their beds are so decadent it takes 3 people to make them. $300 per night including breakfast, lunch, wine and laundry service.
Via Convento, Marittima di Diso; 44-7736/362-328 (no website)

For a cheaper alternative: Villa Magnolia in Puglia is a noble villa dating back to the 18th century turned charming hotel where guests can offset their carbon footprints by planting their own fruit trees! Rooms are filled with antiques from the 1800′s, Egyptian cotton bed linens, modern en suite bathrooms with walk-in wet rooms, organic soaps and products, yoga classes, massage specialists, mountain biking and cooking classes for two. $175-$225 US per night.
http://www.villamagnoliaitaly.com

Maldives Surfing Recieves Rave Reviews

Maldives Surfing Recieves Rave Reviews

http://www.minivannews.com/, 15 June 2009
By Aida Sadr-Kiani

“For now, I’m not looking forward to having world champions in the Maldives…just more surfers,” says Nahshid Nasir (Nahu), 28, who started surfing 17 years ago on a plank of wood. “People used to be closed to surfing. But now they are open.” Nahu says that while surfing began in the Maldives 30 years ago, real surfboards have only become widely used in the past twelve years or so. He grew up surfing in North Male’, the one spot where there is no sea wall blocking out surf-worthy waves.

Nahu, also member of the Maldives Surf Association, explains how the growth of surfing in the Maldives now allows people to make a living off out of it. He uses himself, as well as Hussain Areef (Ibu), the Maldivian surfer who earned public affection after taking first place at an invitational surfing competition in Sri Lanka last year, as examples of people who are making a living out of the activity. Nahu works as a surf judge, guide, and coach. He says that boys, and a few girls, across various atolls, anywhere between the ages of 13 to 50, have started surfing for leisure as equipment becomes more widespread.

During the championship round of the 10th annual Association of Surfing Professionals World Qualifying Series (WQS) earlier today, Nahu watched from a glass balcony overlooking Pasta Point at Chaaya Island Dhonveli resort. Many say that this is the best surfing spot in the Maldives, not to mention one of the best surfing spots in the world. Nahu was observing alongside other judges, who were enjoying the last day of the week-long event. The competition was rated at six star prime, the highest possible ranking for quality of waves at a surfing competition.

Greatest final

At what many ASP officials deemed as the greatest final round they had ever witnessed, 19-year old Australian Owen Wright came in first place, followed by Patrick Gudauskas, a 23-year old surfer from the United States. Wright said it was the “best final” he had ever been in; his thoughts were echoed by ASP world tour head judge Perry Hatchet, who said that out of the hundreds of finals he had watched, this one placed in the top five.

Even before the memories created in the final round today, the competition had already earned a spot in surfing history. Two days ago, Gudauskas completed the first ever rodeo clown manoeuvre (a 540 degree summersault with a surfboard) in a competition. This past week set a strong precedence in professional surfing culture.

Out of 150 of the world’s best male surfers, 128 participated in last week’s competition, representing 20 nations. Countries that came first were the USA, Australia, and Brazil.

The Maldives has hosted this event for the past decade. According to Steve Robertson, Media Director of ASP, and part of the group who first established the series, the competition was held on Lohifushi Island Resort for the first five years before being moved to Pasta Point because of the better quality of waves.

“Nothing but positives”

According to Robertson, surfing is still at a fledging stage in the Maldives but the competition as a useful way of developing the sport in the country. When they were first looking for a place to hold the series 11 years ago, he says, perceptions of the Maldives as a surfing spot were flawed.

“Not a lot was known about surfing in the Maldives…some of the feedback was that the waves were small. That was the perception. Through the event… the perception has changed.” He chose the Maldives based on the tropical climate, good waves and the overall appeal of the area. Since then, Robertson says that the warmest water worldwide along with great waves, fantastic food and a welcoming environment has led to “nothing but positives”.

ASP CEO Alex Stark says that Pasta Point provides “one of the best event set ups in the world.” He highlights the invaluable infrastructure of the resort. A bar and a patio for spectators face Pasta Point. Upstairs a room with a glass wall overlooks the beach, providing a convenient space for setting up cameras, computers, and judges. Robertson says “you just don’t get the perfect peeling waves with the infrastructure of an island resort set up. We have no infrastructure cost. You don’t get that anywhere else.”

Judges particularly like the set up because they are very close to the surfers. Tour head judge Hatchett explains that, “In other places surfers are a couple of a hundred meters off shore. Here it is easier to judge because they are right on your doorstep… it is the best place in the world to judge”. Nahu, who has also judged in competitions in Japan, agrees that the Maldivian beaches are three times closer than most beaches. The intimate setting allows fans’ enthusiastic cheers to reach the ears of surfers as they finish waves and head back out to finish their heat.

There are a variety of factors that make waves in the Maldives conducive to creative and exciting surfing. The waves usually rise between two and ten feet, according to Robertson. Most of this year’s waves were between three to five feet. What is particularly useful about the surfing area around Pasta Point is that the angles formed with neighbouring islands create another five or six breaks nearby. In other words, where the waves come out of the deep water to create white water.

These extra breaks provide surfers with more room to warm up and practice. The offshore wind conditions, as well as the reefs, allow for exciting aerials opportunities, such as Gudauska’s move. Stark points out that these conditions are useful not just for high level competitors, but for aspiring recreational surfers as well.

Paradise
540 degrees: rodeo clown manoeuvre
Island, says that one of the reasons why surfing is growing in the Maldives is due to the international exposure that comes from the competition. He says that the number of surfers that he books rises each year, reaching approximately 900 this year.

To protect the tranquillity of the sport and avoid overcrowding, Atoll Adventures allows a maximum of 30 surfers on the resort at a time. “People like this because there is no crowd,” Dara explains. “In other places, like Australia and Hawaii…there are good waves, but it’s too crowded.” Demand for surfing increases every year and despite a fallback during the financial crisis, surfing levels are back to normal.

Sri-Lankan airlines have been the main sponsors for the competition in the past years. Mr Shihad, assistant front office manager, says the event grows every year, calling for increasingly elaborate opening and closing ceremony parties. Other sponsors this year included Maldives Tourism Board, Chaaya Island, and Ocean and Earth Surf brand. Dhiraagu also sponsored the event, providing the live feed that allowed the event to be broadcast online.

60,000 people watched last year’s event through this system and Stark expected more than 10,000 viewers for today’s final heats. He says that in the next years, the competition is “Going to need support from Maldivian sponsors to keep it alive and keep it going.” Since the competition’s founding, ASP has been working closely with the Maldives Surf Association, and tomorrow Stark will be meeting with the Maldivian Tourism Promotion board to debrief them on this year’s competition.

In the future, Stark says that they would like to get the women’s championship tour event at this site as well because of the perfect conditions. Gudauski gave a surfer’s impression of the surfing environment “Think of it this way. This is like an Olympic pool. Other surfer spots are kid pools. The way the waves break on the reef leads to high performance. Also we love staying at a resort.”

Wright agreed, “Yeah, this is paradise.”

“Paradise,” repeated Gudauski.

Finalists Decided at the Surfing Pro in the Maldives

Finalists Decided at the Surfing Pro in the Maldives

Published on www.surfline.com, June 14, 2009

An exciting day of surfing in the Maldives at the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) PRIME Six Star rated World Qualifying Series (WQS) Sri Lankan Airlines Pro sees just eight surfing remaining in the event which will finish tomorrow in great conditions at Pasta Point.

Pat Gudauskas (USA/Cal) continued his huge run in this event by defeating ASP veteran Cory Lopez in the opening heat of the day.

“I had to forget the excitement of yesterdays heat win and focus on the job ahead and that’s to try and win this event” said Gudauskas who created history in his previous heat when he executed what is believed to be the first ever rodeo clown manoeuvre in competitive surfing.

“I’m excited to be through to the final eight surfers and I’m hungry for the win as I’m sure all the other seven surfers are!” added Gudauskas.

Romain Cloitre (France/Reunion Island) continues to be the quiet achiever here in the Maldives and today he was very impressive taking a tightly contested heat over Shaun Gossman (Australia).

The smooth styled 20 year old who bases himself equally between Reunion Island and Hossegor in France has already achieved his best ever performance here in a Prime rated ASP WQS event.

“Last year I was eliminated in my very first heat here so I’m just really pleased to keep progressing through my heats this year” said Cloitre.

“I feel well suited to this wave and I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s final day.”

While both ASP tour veterans in Cory Lopez and Travis Logie (South Africa) were eliminated today, exciting youngsters Jadson Andre (Brazil) and Owen Wright (Australia) advanced to the quarter finals.

Andre’s heat win over Travis Logie was the tightest heat of the day. The 19 year old Brazilian trailed throughout the heat and looked rattled when he uncharacteristically fell on a huge aerial move mid heat.

“That was the strangest thing that has ever happened to me in a contest” said Andre.

I had completed the aerial, landed well and was looking to ride it out but my leash actually got caught on my ring on my finger and that has dragged me off my board, I felt it rip at my finger and it has actually ripped into my skin, unbelievable.”

Despite that mistake, Andre showed his professionalism by taking a wave in the final minute, nailing an opening major air reverse and scoring the required 6.33 to take the win.

The final two heats of the day saw the conditions clean up and the swells pulse and the days highest heat and wave scores were registered by Leigh Sedley (Australia) and Austin Ware (USA).

Sedley’s 14.5 heat score was the day’s highest and he goes into tomorrow’s final day with confidence.

“I’m feeling great here, loving the waves and my surfing and boards feel really good so I’m going into tomorrow focused on winning – I believe I can” said Sedley.

Sedley will face Austin Ware (USA) in the fourth quarter final tomorrow. Ware scored the days highest wave score of an 8.5 on his way to defeating Drew Courtney.

Tomorrow will be the final day and is expected to deliver the best waves of the event so far.
Follow this event live at http://www.srilankanairlinespro.com/

Quarter Final Heat Draw:

Heat 1: Pat Gudauskas (USA), Wiggolly Dantas (BRA)
Heat 2: Romaine Cloitre (FRA), Jadson Andre (BRA)
Heat 3: Owen Wright (AUS), Daniel Ross (AUS)
Heat 4: Leigh Sedley (AUS), Austin Ware (USA)

SriLankan Airlines Pro 2009 is made possible thanks to the following sponsors: SriLankan Airlines, John Keells Group, Chaaya Island – Dhonveli, Atoll Travel, Atoll Adventures, Ocean & Earth International, Dhiraagu, Maldives Tourism & Promotions Board, ASP Australasia.

ASP Australasia as the event managers will deliver a quality live Webcast along with Television News Feeds, complimentary Digital Images for newspapers and websites, Web highlight packages and a dedicated 30 minute international television program.

Best Western Expands into the Maldives

World’s Largest Hotel Chain opens first hotel in Maldives

World’s Largest Hotel Chain(R) opens first hotel in Maldives – Best Western Madoogali Resort and Spa, September 2009

From http://www.etravelblackboardasia.com/, June 11, 2009

The strategic expansion across Asia and the Middle East of Best Western International – The World’s Largest Hotel Chain(R) – is set for a new milestone in September 2009 with the auspicious opening of its first property in the Maldives, the extensively rebranded Best Western Madoogali Resort and Spa.?

“The Maldives falls into the elite club of the world’s top ten most desirable destinations and it is a great thrill for Best Western to finally enter this highly attractive market,” said Glenn de Souza, Best Western International’s Vice President Operations – Asia.?

“As a key development in our on-going Asia and Middle East expansion, Best Western Madoogali Resort and Spa bears all the characteristics that make our brand so attractive to travelers,” he continued.

Best Western Madoogali Resort and Spa is superbly located on its own island, North Ari Atoll, 48 miles west of the Maldives’ capital of Male. The hotel features 56 exclusive palm-thatched chalets, designed to blend in naturally with the surrounding environment. Each luxurious chalet has a veranda facing the sea and is furnished and decorated in a modern tropical style that captures the essence of the island country.

Besides the view, key attractions include a refined restaurant, a spa, a dive center and numerous water sport activities, including windsurfing, canoeing, kayaking, water-skiing, catamarans and pedalòs.

Restaurant specialties include grilled local fish, a variety of pasta and pizza dishes and traditional Maldivian recipes

Best Western International introduces its new own Bhuvana Spa therapies that compliment the guest’s experience in this unique and secluded destination. A simple, yet effective range of treatment is combined with the selectively blended ingredients of spa products to revive the mind, body and soul. The perfect escape and the healing of Bhuvana will lend a lasting enhancement of your well-being.

Previously running on an average occupancy of 78%, Best Western is confident of sharply raising this figure, based on the property’s delightful design and international service standards combined with the company’s powerful global marketing network.

“We are delighted that this is our first property in the Maldives and we trust it won’t be our last, either in this market or the many other markets throughout Asia and the Middle East, in which we continue to see remarkable growth prospects,” concluded the executive.

Is the Maldives a Good Place to Learn to Dive?

Maldives: good for beginner divers?

Jim Marshall wants to know if the Indian Ocean islands will be a good place for his kids to learn to scuba dive

From http://www.timesonline.co.uk/, June 10, 2009, by Richard Green

I would like my two teenage sons to learn to dive. Are the Maldives a good place for this? And if so, could you suggest a hotel that would be good for us? Jim Marshall, Harrow

Sunday Times travel expert Richard Green responds: The Maldives is one of the world’s top dive spots, where a stunning variety of fish swirl around thousands of sheltered reefs, where the water is clear and warm year-round, and there’s a very high standard of dive centre and tuition. Plus its shallow reef-protected lagoons are great places for a beginners’ first dive.

And the hotels aren’t bad either. Take the Kandooma island resort for example. It occupies a 32-acre island surrounded by reefs and has a strong reputation for its dive school. Accommodation is villa style, nicely spaced out, and there are four restaurants to choose from.

Hayes & Jarvis has a week here from £1,399pp in July, with flights from Heathrow to Male with SriLankan Airlines, speedboat transfer, and B&B accommodation in two garden villas. Diving is paid for locally, at the smart Euro Divers facility, where the PADI Open Water Diver course is £330pp. British Airways starts direct flights to Male from Gatwick in October, when a week at the Kandooma will cost from £1,239pp.

If you prefer an all-inclusive package, then try Lily Beach in the South Ari Atoll, from £2,249pp in July, also through Hayes & Jarvis, with flights and transfers as above. Ocean-Pro run the dive centre and charge £455pp for PADI Open Water Diver course.

Or a seven-night stay at the super-luxury Constance Halaveli Resort in a Beach Villa, costs from £1,958pp, with SriLankan flights and B&B accommodation in a Beach Villa, and seaplane transfers, through Turquoise Holidays. The PADI dive course £521pp.

Other companies featuring learn-to-dive holidays in the Maldives include Scuba Travel, Regal Dive, or Tropic Breeze.

Watersports Contest Announced in the Maldives

Maldives to host Asia’s first Beach and Water sports tournament

From http://www.miadhu.com.mv10 June 2009

The Cabinet has decided to hold Asia’s first Beach and Water sports tournament in the Maldives. The tournament is planned to be held in 2010. The decision was made at a cabinet meeting held on Tuesday.

The cabinet made this decision after discussing a paper proposed by the Ministry of Human Recourses, Youth and Sports.

The members of the cabinet noted that hosting this event would be an opportunity for the Maldives to promote its tourism as well as to promote sports tourism in the Maldives.

A committee was also appointed to organize the tournament. The committee would include State Ministers at the Ministry of Human Resources, Youth and Sports; Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture; Ministry of Defense and National Security; Ministry of Home Affairs; Ministry of Finance and Treasury; and, Ministry of Economic Development.

At the meeting, the members also discussed the issue of the proposed bill to the People’s Majlis on the amendment of the Defense Force Act.

Following the unanimous agreement of the Advisory Council, which was formed under Article 14 (a) of the Defense Force Act, that the proposed amendment to the Defense Force Act and the proposed addition to Article 31 of the Act would impose undue political influence on the members of the Maldives National Defense Force, the Cabinet decided the issue to be deliberated by the National Security Council.

The Advisory Council, which was formed under the Defense Force Act to advise the Minister of Defense and Chief of Defense Force on administrative and operational matters, held a special meeting on 8 June to discuss the matter.

Whale Sanctuaries Declared in the Maldives

Maldives Declares Whale Shark Sanctuaries

June 10, 2009 (LBO) – http://www.lankabusinessonline.com/

Maldives has established three protected areas for whale sharks, the world’s largest fish, the Indian Ocean atoll state which is famed for its corals and marine resources, said.
The marine protected areas have been declared in and around Baa atoll Hanifaru, Baa atoll An’gafaru and South Ari atoll Maamigili, to commemorate World Ocean day on June 08, a government statement said.

“The government is committed to protecting and preserving the Maldives’ exceptional biodiversity,” environmental minister Mohamed Aslam said.

“The marine environment is the bedrock of our economy, supporting our largest industries, tourism and fisheries.

“Not only will this initiative protect whale sharks, but also other mega-fauna including manta rays and reef sharks.”

In March, Maldives imposed a country wide ban on reef shark hunting.

Whale sharks grow to 12 meters in length. Maldives says it is home to the only known aggregating population in the Indian Ocean.

They are filter feeders and largely survive on plankton.

Researchers have identified 120 individual whale sharks in the Maldives and say Maldives is one of the few places in the world where whale sharks can be found all year round.

The initiative is supported by the government, the communities of Baa atoll and South Ari atoll and the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme (MWSRP).

“The Marine Protected Area sites are globally significant,” the statement quoted Richard Reese, director of the whale shark research program as saying.

“By protecting them we are helping to protect whale sharks throughout the Maldives.”

The marine protected areas will limit fishing, while diving and snorkeling will be permitted only under strict guidelines.

Speed limits will be imposed on boats to prevent lacerations to the giant fish from boat hulls and propellers and waste management programs will be run on local islands to prevent pollution.

The statement quoted Ahmed Faiz Rasheed, chief of Dhigurah, an island near the Maamigili prrotected area, as saying the local community supports the project.

Tourism is a key revenue earner for the Maldivian economy.

The statement quoted Guy Stevens, a marine biologist at Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru resort in Baa Atoll, saying that the whale shark reserves will help boost eco-tourism.

The statement said a recent report on the economic case for biodiversity in the Maldives, also released this week, finds that tourists and locals are prepared to pay 18 million US dollars annually for for biodiversity conservation.